Vegan cauliflower tacos filled with winter vegetables like swiss chard and pickled red onions. Healthy refried beans make up the base here and you won’t miss the summery toppings usually served with tacos for this seasonal version. Skip to the recipe →
Roasted cauliflower tacos
Hiding under all that roasted cauliflower is refried black beans, because a taco isn’t a taco without refried beans. There are a lot of vegan cauliflower tacos out there, I know, but most of them seem to be doused in hot sauce (not my thing) so I’ve gone for lots of spices and pickled onions for acidity.
I used my spelt tortillas for these and altogether, including the tortillas, it took me about an hour from start to finish. I cut the cauliflower while I was frying the tortillas and did some multitasking and it came together pretty well. If you can buy tortillas it’s super quick, with mostly down time waiting for the cauliflower to roast.
Everything here should still be good the next day if you’re a leftover lover. I had a little trouble with my swiss chard but it’s usually fine; I think it got too cold in the back of the fridge.
I know it looks like a lot when you look through the recipe, but it’s mostly spices, so don’t be put off. It’s not very much active time – only about 10 minutes, then 30 minutes in the oven – and then you get tacos!
Making tacos in winter
Instead of out of season veggies like red pepper, a little seasoned swiss chard does the trick and keeps everything local and in season – I promise that despite lacking stereotypical taco fillings, these will totally satisfy a taco craving.
I was a little hesitant before I tried them but I’ll be making them until cauliflower disappears again in April. Cauliflower is a winter vegetable – some varieties can be kept outside all winter depending on your zone.
If you remember, try to make the onions a day ahead to get the prettiest colour – if not, I made them about an hour before photographing but I stuck the jar on the radiator to give them a little heat to pickle faster and it worked like a charm. Here’s a recipe for pickled onions – the right way!
For lunch today I was out of refried beans so I stuck the leftover cauliflower in a tortilla with some sweet potato hummus, pickled onions, and a fried egg. It was not bad. The refried beans were better though.
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Cauliflower Tacos with Refried Beans
Vegan cauliflower tacos filled with winter vegetables like swiss chard and pickled red onions. Healthy refried beans make up the base here and you won't miss the summery toppings usually served with tacos for this seasonal version.
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 700 grams / 1 medium head cauliflower, small florets
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
Refried Beans
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 300 grams / 2 cups cooked black beans
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 100 grams / 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, canned
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream, optional
Swiss Chard
- 1 bunch swiss chard
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Roasted Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F. Place the cauliflower florets onto a large baking sheet and mix with the oil and spices. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and browned in places.
Pickled Onions
- Add all of the ingredients to a jar and shake. Let it sit, shaking occasionally, for at least an hour before serving. Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Refried Beans
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the onions for a couple of minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the beans and spices, cook for another minute, then stir in the apple cider vinegar and diced tomatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the bean mixture until a rough paste forms, then stir in the coconut cream. Add additional seasoning if needed.
Swiss Chard
- Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and use your hands to mix until the chard is slightly softened. To serve, layer the refried beans, chard, cauliflower, and onions in a batch of spelt tortillas and serve hot.
Notes
• The coconut cream is my secret to making refried beans creamy without adding cheese, or fake cheese. You can't taste the coconut.
• The refried beans can stay in the pan with the lid on if you finish them early, it's fine sitting for a while.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
4 peopleAmount Per Serving: Calories: 260Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 803mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 13gSugar: 11gProtein: 12g
Alex says
Ooh, coconut cream in refried beans?? That's a novel idea, I like it! These look awesome 🙂
Diego Lopes says
Colorful! I've been looking for a good recipe for meatless tacos for a while now. THanks for that!